The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-10-22
TRUSTING TO LUCK.

ne Rspabllssa Party m the Shoes Of shs
Poor Fellow who Il waiting tor sens-
thing 60 Turn ~
A large number of Republican politi-
clans, Of greater and less degree. have
been interviewed in various parts Of
the country within the last few weeks
regarding the prospect for their party
in the approaching Presidential cam
paign. Nobody can have read many
such interviews without being struck
with the unanimity with which all
these politicians confess that they are
trusting to luck for success next year.
As rule they say that the Republicans
will carry the election, but when
pressed for an explanation as to how
they viii do it. they always fall back
upon the theory that there win be .
Labor candidate for President; that he
will draw of about twice a. many votes
from the Democrats - from the Re
publicans; and that the Republican
nominee will thur slip in. In other
words, they virtually confess that ON .
square test between the old parties the
Republicans are beaten before the
fight opens. but they trust to luck that
something will turn up by which their
party may win, without any reference
to the question Of merits.
1t is curious to observe how COM
pletely the old '.issues." which have so
long been the stand-bys Of the Repub-
licans are now disposed Of There
was the ',scare" argument TO begin
with, which did such excellent service
30 long as the Republicans were in
power and could fool business men
and laboring men into the belief that .
Democratic administration 'involves
financial, industrial and commercial
peril /" to quote the words Of the Mass
achusetts platform in 1884. But with
business better than it was in 1884.
and with the increased deposits show
ing that the laboring men are able to
save moro than ever before, it il simply
ridiculous to tell business men or
laboring men that the country win be
s'ruined" il Democrat IL again cheated.
The s.rebel claims" ''rebel PEN
sions." and ''rebel debt bugabooe
have also been done for. There may
be places in the backwoods where q
Republican stump speaker would still
venture to get OF those ancient
gags" but among respectable PEG
pie nobody longer has the assurance
to talk that sort OF nonsense. And II
had tremendous hold upon intelli-
gent people only three years ago. u
they would be honest about it, tens Of
thousands of men. who now see that
there was NO foundation for theil
dread, would confess that they were
only frightened into voting for Blaine
in 1884 against their convictions BY
the ''view-with-alarm" plank about
the ''rebel claim" business.
The State-rights issue has gone thu
same way with the ''ruin" and the
..rebel CLAIMS" That = Democratic
President would have the chance to I'll
vacancies in the Supreme Court with
men who believe in State-rights, and
that this would be dangerous to the
Nation, was once an effective argu
ment But the Supreme Court itself
while composed entirely of Justices ap
pointed by Republican Presidents, ha,
made It of no avail in future. for tha'
court has settled the State-rights Issue
In . way which no Democrat wants Il
unsettle, and Justice Miller has de
clared that ''the autonomy Of tn
States, and their power to regulat,
their domestic affairs" are now estab
lished uson firm basis.
| The s-solid South cry NO longs
| frightens any body. It used to b
urged that il the Democrats came int
power. they would virtually re-enslav'
the negroes, make the South uninhab
table by Northern men, and general,
cut up all manner of mischief Blu
the negroes themselves admit tina
they are better Of than ever before
Northern mon are settling in the Soutl
| In steadily growing numbers and tn
relations between the races are foun,
by such observers as General Armstrong
of Hampton, Union soldier ant
Republican, to be moro kindly than .
any previous time since the war. o.
the sectional issue all that the Repuh
licans have to offer is the assurance
for which they may appeal with con
fidence to their record in the past tia
IL they are restored to power, Their